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Databases

The Law Library provides access to specialized legal databases, along with subject specific non-legal databases. Below you will find information about each resource, along with access information. Note that each logo is a link to the resource described. Additional specialized, non-legal databases are available through the Howard University Libraries Databases.

DOAJ is an online directory that indexes and provides access to high quality, open access, peer-reviewed journals.

Access Information:

This is an open access, free database.

This very informative collection of research guides, created by the Government Printing Office with assistance from Librarians around the country, includes information on using government documents to conduct research on a wide-range of subjects including substance abuse and addiction, Presidential documents, and military and veteran resources. It also includes the Community Guides section which links to additional guides from libraries across the nation on topics such as the “Freedman’s Savings Bank” and how to use government census data effectively. This resource is designed for use by all-levels of researchers and everything within them are freely available to the public.

The GPO’s Federal Digital System (FDSYS) is the Federal Government’s official, digital, secure resource for producing, procuring, cataloging, indexing, authenticating, disseminating, and preserving the official information products of the U.S. Government.

The GPO is responsible for the production and distribution of information products and services for all three branches of the Federal Government.

The GPO released a beta website, GovInfo.gov, that will eventually replace the Federal Digital System (FDsys) public website. Being in beta means this site is a work in progress that is being shared to get feedback.

Access Information:

This is an open access, free database.

Full text law journals in their original page-image (PDF) format. Also includes Treaties and Agreements, Federal Legislative History, U.S. Statutes at Large, Federal Register, U.S. Supreme Court and Phillip C. Jessup Library.

Access Information:

Campus access from networked computers.

Remote access with HeinOnline username and password.

Searchable database of investment treaty cases up to May 2010.

Access Information:

This is an open access database, and can be used to research on investment arbitration.

Leadership Directories online allows you to conduct searches for contact and biographical data for thousands of individuals in leadership roles from organizations, associations, companies, nonprofits, medium-sized to large law firms, the government, the judiciary, etc.

New and improved public access platform by Lexis Nexis offering legal information resources including cases, statutes, regulations, and news.

Access Information:

​On-Campus access when connected to public WiFi.

The Official Document System (ODS) is an online database of UN documents that was first launched in 1993 and updated in 2016. ODS has full-text, born-digital UN documents published from 1993 onward, including documents of the Security Council, the General Assembly, the Economic and Social Council and their subsidiaries, as well as administrative issuances and other documents.

Access Information:

This is an open access, free online database.

PACER (Public Access to Court Electronic Records)

Access Information:

Librarians can search PACER to access U.S. Appellate, District, and Bankruptcy court records and documents nationwide.

Definitive source for researchers, students, journalists, and citizens interested in the U.S. Supreme Court.

The Database contains over two hundred pieces of information about each case decided by the Court between the 1946 and 2014 terms.

Access Information:

This is an open access, free online database.

Congress.gov is the Next Generation version of THOMAS.gov.

Presented by the Library of Congress, Congress.gov is the official website for U.S. federal legislative information.

Access Information:

This is an open access, free online database.

United Nations Bibliographic Information System

Catalogue of United Nations(UN) documents and publications indexed by the UN Dag Hammarskjöld Library and the Library of the UN Office at Geneva.

Access Information:

This is an open access, free online database.

This online database provides the most detailed information on the status of over 560 major multilateral instruments deposited with the Secretary-General of the United Nations (as of 1 June 2014) and covers a range of subject matter such as Human Rights, Disarmament, Commodities, Refugees, the Environment and the Law of the Sea.

WorldCat is the world's largest network of library content and services. WorldCat libraries are dedicated to providing access to their resources on the Web, where most people start their search for information.

Access Information:

This is an open access, free online catalog.

Research Guides

The following guides provide specialized subject, collection, and bar information. Submit your suggestions for additional topics to Reference at reference@law.howard.edu.

Resources available to all Howard University students, with a special focus on resources that may be useful to law students conducting multidisciplinary research for their seminar papers, with a special focus on social science resources relevant to the topic Gender, Sex, and Sexuality.

Resources to support your research when applying for a judicial clerkship. It includes print directories and their locations in the Law Library, as well as useful internet sites with information about courts, judges, procedures and tips from judicial clerks.

Updated October 2018.

Hours

The library is generally open 105 hours per week, but this changes depending on the time of year.

Please call 202.806.8045 to confirm library hours of service before traveling to the West campus. Follow us on Twitter and Facebook for updates and changes to the library schedule.

Standard Hours of Operation

Monday - Friday

7:00 am - 11:00 pm

Saturday

9:00 am - 10:00 pm

Sunday

11:00 am - 11:00 pm

Federal Holiday and Howard University-wide CLOSINGS:

Birthday of Martin Luther King, Jr.

Monday, January 21, 2019

President's Day

Monday, February 18, 2019 NOTE: The Law Library is open from 9:00 am - 6:00 pm on President's Day.

Memorial Day

Monday, May 27, 2019

Independence Day

Thursday, July 4, 2019

Labor Day

Monday, September 2, 2019

Veterans Day
Monday, November 11, 2019
NOTE: The Law Library is open from 9:00 am - 6:00 pm on Veterans Day.

Thanksgiving Break
Wednesday, November 27, 2019
NOTE: The Law Library is open from 9:00 am - 12:00 pm on the day before Thanksgiving.
Thursday, November 28, 2019
Friday, November 29, 2019

Howard law students must be registered in the library's Circulation system to check out materials.

Registration requires name, address, phone, Capstone ID number, e-mail address, and a signed acknowledgement that you are responsible for all materials checked out in your name.

To register for borrowing privileges, students must have a validated Capstone ID.

Students must make sure that their IDs are validated each semester, and that they update their library patron registration each semester.

Borrowing

The Howard University Law Library is the research library of the Howard University School of Law.

The majority of the collection does not circulate.

Items that are part of a series or multi-volume set, or that are supplemented with pocket parts, looseleaf pages, or bound supplements, may not be checked out.

Only single volume monographs, reserve, and A/V items circulate.

Public Patrons

Public visitors may not check out materials, but may use them within the library.

Our staff is happy to assist with searching our online catalog and locating materials on the shelves.

Interlibrary Loan

The Law Library maintains formal agreements with libraries worldwide to share materials with, or provide photocopies to, other libraries. This service is available to Howard Law School students, faculty and staff only.

Requests are processed Monday - Friday, except holidays.

Photocopies are delivered within 3-5 business days.

Books are delivered within 10-14 business days.

Please be aware that delivery can take significantly longer, depending on the availability of the materials and the response time of lending libraries.

Special Collections and Archives

The Archives' goal is to acquire, and make available for public use, manuscripts, printed materials, and visual materials that document the history of the law in general and that of the Howard University School of Law in particular. Specifically, the Archives collect materials relating to civil rights litigation and legislation.

In addition to its paper-based collections, the Archives has an active oral history program, and houses a growing digital collection of interviews of alumni, former deans and faculty, and civil rights activists.

Accessing the Archives:

The Archives is open Monday - Friday by appointment only.

For more information, or to make an appointment, please call Seth Kronemer at 202.806.8304.

Printers

There are three networked printers in the Law Library: two in the PC Computer Lab (LL102), and one in room 313.

HUSL Library has one Lexis printer in the PC Computer Lab (LL102), it can only be used for printing documents directly from Lexis Advance.

These are part of the Law School's network resources and are managed by the IT Department.

Direct any concerns regarding printer performance problems to Frank King at 202.806.8030.

Lost and Found

Lost and found items are centralized for the law school campus in the Office of Student Affairs on the 2nd floor of Houston Hall.

Items found in the library are sent to Student Affairs, with the exception of textbooks. These are held in the reserve reading room.

Security

Library security officers are on duty twenty-four hours every day.

The officers check identification for everyone who enters the library.

Security patrols the library.

To gain access to the library, Howard law students, faculty and staff must show the officer on duty their Capstone ID card.

Students, faculty or staff who cannot present a Capstone ID upon entering the library must show another current photo ID and sign in at the security desk.

All public visitors must present a current photo ID and also sign in at the security desk.

Security is responsible for stopping library patrons when the security gate alarms sound as they enter or exit. If the gate alarms do trigger, the patron’s packages are subject to search.

Tours

The Law Library staff is pleased to welcome all visitors. We offer individual or group tours of our building and collections for visitors of all ages.

Tours can also be designed to meet any special interests, or focused on unique resources such as our Archives, which houses unique materials spanning the Civil War through Civil Rights eras.

To make arrangements for a tour, please contact Eileen Santos at 202.806.8301. Please submit your request at least a week in advance for a group tour.

Note that tours are not given during the Law School exam period.

U.S. Government Depository

HUSL Law Library was designated a selective U.S. Federal Depository Library in April 1998. The Law Library is committed to providing free public access to Government information for our primary patrons and for all public patrons.

As a selective depository, the Library receives approximately 7% of all government documents available through this program.

In accordance with the mission of the law library, most depository selections cover a broad range of law-related materials in many formats.

Note that public patrons are allowed in-house use of the collection only. Patrons may request assistance locating government depository resources from any librarian staffing the reference desk.

Walking from Van Ness/UDC Metro Station

At ground level, turn around and proceed across the street. Turn left at the next street, which is Van Ness Street.

Follow Van Ness to the end of the street. The Howard University Law School is at the end of the street. The Law Library is the building at the top of the rise, on the left. View walking routes.

Directly behind the Law School is a large parking lot. Parking on campus is by permit only. It is recommended that you take the Metro to the Law Library, since finding street parking in D.C. can be difficult.

Driving from Reagan National Airport

Follow signs to Washington. Take I-395 North/US-1 North. Follow signs to US-1 North. US-1 becomes 14th Street, NW. Go up 14th Street and turn left on K Street. Get in the right lane and go about 4 blocks to Connecticut Avenue. Turn right on Connecticut Avenue. Turn right on Van Ness Street. Howard University School of Law is at the end of the street.

Driving from the south: refer to I-395 directions above

Driving from Dulles International Airport

Take the Toll Road to 66 east. Once on 66 east take 495 north/east (towards Baltimore). Once on 495 east, take the Connecticut Avenue exit (Exit 31). Turn right and go south on Connecticut Avenue for about three miles. Turn left on Van Ness Street. Howard University School of Law is at the end of the street.

Driving from Baltimore-Washington International Airport

Take I-95 south to I-495 west. Once on I-495 west, take I-495 to Connecticut Avenue (Exit 31). Turn left and go south on Connecticut Avenue for about 3 miles. Turn left on Van Ness Street. Howard University School of Law is at the end of the street.

Driving from the north: refer to I-495 directions above

About

Welcome

Welcome to the Howard University School of Law Library. We provide access to and maintain a collection of information resources that support law school programs, legal research, and the needs of all library users. The Law Library selects, organizes, preserves, and provides access to all of its resources as a way to assist those in their pursuit of justice.

The Law Library has a collection of approximately 225,000 volumes and is open 105 hours per week. Three librarians, one archivist, and five staff members provide excellent service for those who need legal research assistance. Our building is a 76,000 sq. ft. state-of-the-art facility. With wireless access throughout, as well as oak tables equipped with data jacks and electrical outlets, computers for accessing the online catalog on each floor and a 52-seat computer training room, the Law Library is on the cutting edge of technology. Of course, the Law Library also has print resources. On the fourth floor is the Special Collections area, which houses the papers of such civil rights giants as Charles Hamilton Houston, Spottswood Robinson, and Phineas Indritz (a prominent Washington lawyer who helped desegregate the D.C. bar).

So, whether you visit the Law Library in person or via the Internet, we welcome the opportunity to assist you.

Mission

The Mission of the Howard University Law Library is to provide a quality, complete collection of legal materials for the Howard University School of Law faculty and students. Recognizing that the legal system extends beyond the Howard University School of Law community, the Law Library also provides access to legal materials for the practicing attorney, as well as people of all races, creeds, and colors.

Collection

As repositories of knowledge and as places to learn, libraries are central to a university’s mission. In May 2001, Howard University School of Law Library moved into its state-of-the-art facility at 2929 Van Ness Street, N.W., Washington D.C. 20009. The four-story, 76,000 square foot building provides space for a book collection of up to 670,000 volumes; can seat more than 295 students (more than 70 percent of the student population), including 90 open carrels; enlarged microfilm and audio-visual facilities; three distinctive rooms of wood and brick for special collections, newspaper and periodical reading, and a rare book collection.

Facility

The library is organized around the second-floor, triple-height Reading Room, which has wireless access to the Internet and faces the new courtyard and Holy Cross Hall to the south. The tall windows of this 4,000-square-foot space give views onto the landscaped courtyard and celebrate the display of readers and books to the campus. Table and lounge seating for 80 students is provided in this great room, which is home to the 2,000-volume reference collection.

The book collection and individual student carrels are distributed equally on the second, third, and fourth floors that open directly to the Reading Room. A wood-paneled lobby on the first floor connects the building entrances from the courtyard to the south and the parking areas to the north, and functionally separates the Law Library from the Smart classroom and student computer lab.

Framing the interior entrance to the library are display cases that inform visitors about the law faculty and the library. The west wing of the library provides a total of five private study rooms and six group study rooms that serve from two-to-eight students each and are on the second and third floors. Crowning the west wing and surrounded by a roof terrace is the Special Collections Rare Book Reading Room.

Alumni

As members of the Howard Law family, we welcome the opportunity to assist you. Our mission is to provide a quality, complete collection of legal materials. The Law Library has a collection of approximately 225,000 volumes and is open 105 hours per week. Our building is a 76,000 sq. ft. state-of-the-art facility with wireless Internet access throughout.

Our librarians, archivist, and staff provide excellent service for those who need legal research assistance. On the fourth floor is the Archives area, which houses the papers of such civil rights giants as Charles Hamilton Houston, Spottswood Robinson, and Phineas Indritz. Whether you visit the Law Library in person or via the Internet, we welcome the opportunity to assist you.

HUSL Library Internship Program

Opportunities for LIS Graduate Students

Internship hours are flexible and can be arranged to fit your schedule. You will be a member of the small, dynamic team and will be able to make an enormous contribution to the work we do at HUSL Library.

These are wonderful opportunities to gain specialized academic backend library services experience, public-facing information services experience, or a combination of both, at one of Washington, D.C.’s highly regarded law schools!

Are you looking for an exciting internship that will provide you with the skills necessary to help you obtain a full-time academic Public Services librarian position after
graduation? Are you interested in gaining experience with legal materials at an academic law library, furthering the cause of a social justice driven HBCU, or assisting a
multilayered user-base consisting of law faculty, law students, the whole multidisciplinary Howard University community, and the public?

If any of that resonates, the Howard University School of Law Library in Washington, D.C. wants to hear from you!

Are you looking for an exciting internship that will provide you with the skills necessary to help you obtain a full-time academic Technical Services librarian position after
graduation? Are you interested in gaining experience with legal materials at an academic law library, furthering the cause of a social justice driven HBCU, or
participating in vital behind the scenes technical services work to facilitate legal information access to a multilayered user-base consisting of law faculty, law students, the whole multidisciplinary Howard University community, and the public?

If any of that resonates, the Howard University School of Law Library in Washington, D.C. wants to hear from you!